Compound for dressing leather



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COMPOUND FOR DRESSING LEATHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,537, dated March 3, 1896.

Application filed .Tune 11, 1895. tierial No. 552,463. (No specimens.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Beit known that we, RUSSELL STEVENS and WILLIAM H. SoHRoEDER, citizens of the United States,residingat Arago, in the county of Coos and State of Oregon, have invented a Compound for Dressing Leather, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a thoroughly reliable and efficient compound which will be waterproof and which will also resist the action of and exclude from the leather or other material to which it is applied snow, mildew, &c.

In addition to rendering boots,-'shoes,.harness, and other articles made from leather waterproof, &c., a further object of the invention is to adapt this compound, by means of certain ingredients introduced therein, to act as a preservative for the purpose of keeping leather in a soft and pliable state and preventing the same from becoming dry and cracking, at the same time giving the leather a fine glossy blackfinish.

The composition consists of the following ingredients, combined in substantially the proportions stated, viz: neats-foot oil, three quarts; castor-oil, one pint; tanners oil, one pint; ivory-black, one-half pound; beeswax, one-half pound; Vaseline, one pound; rosin, four ounces; black wax, one ounce; blackleather varnish, one-half pound; mutton or beef tallow, four pounds; Burgundy pitch, one ounce; paraffine, four ounces.

The ingredients above enumerated are placed in a common vessel and thoroughly mingled and combined by stirring. The vessel containing the mixture is placed upon a slow fire and subjected to the action of the heat for about thirty minutes, during which time it is important that the ingredients be thoroughly and continuously stirred. At the expiration of the time named the vessel is taken from the fire and stirred until the 0011- tents thereof become cool, after which the product is packed in cans and is ready for the market.

The black wax, which comprises one of the ingredients above, is composed of the following subingredients, combined about in the proportions stated, viz: pine-tar, one gallon; refined beeswax, four pounds mutton-Tallow,

four pounds; rosin, two pounds, and lampblack one and one-half pounds. This mixture is placed in a kettle and boiled slowly over a fire, after which it is molded in a cake. By varying the amount of black wax in the main compound the leather-dressing may be made as hard or soft as desired. The blackleather varnish, forming one of the ingredients of the compound, is composed of the following subingredients, combined substantially in the proportions stated, viz: ninetyeight per cent. alcohol, one gallon ;..white turpentine, one and one-half pints; gum-shellac, one and one-half pounds. This mixture is placed in a receptacle near a fire until thoroughly dissolved, after which one pint of sweet oil and one and one-half pounds of ivory-black are added. This acts as a drying agent for the leather-dressing and imparts a glossy finish thereto.

The compound which results from the combination of the above-named ingredients, and the manner of mingling the same, has been found by experience and practical tests to be very valuable when used in connection with boots and shoes, harness and all articles made from leather and exposed to the elements. The compound when properly applied renders such articles thoroughly waterproof, and in addition to this serves to give such articles a smooth glossy black finish and to soften and render pliable the leather. By reason of the nature of certain of the ingredients in the compound the leather and the stitching therein are effectively preserved and rendered to a great extent proof against the action of the elements.

A pair of shoes or boots having this compound properly applied thereto will be rendered as thoroughly impervious to water,

' snow, &c., as though they were composed of rubber.

Where harness has been treated with the above compound and afterward becomes coated with mud, &c., all that will be required to clean the harness is to go over the same with cold water, applied with a sponge, and after the water dries the harness has the same glossy black finish and requires no further treatment.

Leather treated with this compound is recastor-oil, tanners oil, ivory-black, beeswax, Vaseline, rosin, black wax, black-leather varnish, mutton or beef tallow, Burgundy pitch and parafline combined substantially in the manner and proportions specified.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

RUSSELL STEVENS. WILLIAM ll. SCI-IROEDER.

\Vitnesses:

WALTER SINCLAIR, A. J. SHERWOOD. 

